A Farewell to Unlimited Blade Works
by TheSkipRow
Summary: Emiya Shirou has left Fuyuki City to follow his dream. The path of a Hero of Justice will take him to an unknown end.
1. Chapter 1: Hero of Justice

_**12th of January.**_

Snow. The storm has been going on for over 2 weeks by now and it showed no sign of stopping. Had it been worse her work would have suffered, but it gave her an excuse to relax for a few days.

_'I wonder...'_

Dozing off on the living room couch, the young woman stared at the ceiling. Her project was coming along nicely, and a certain Lord would surely be impressed. Now however she was thinking about whatever came to her mind. The past few months have been quite interesting. The Wizard Marshal kept getting on her nerves, but she found him quite a weird figure. There was also unrest in the Middle East, or so the newspapers were saying.

_'Is that where you are... chasing that dream of yours?' _

The one the woman was thinking about was a weird figure as well. They last saw each other years ago, before both left to follow their own paths. The boy she knew had a dream that anyone would call "impossible". He acknowledged that, but he still didn't want to abandon it.

_'I hope you're doing well...' _

It was late in the night, and she could barely keep her eyes open after an entire day of study, practice and work. She had plans to meet with her sister soon, and she was looking forward to it.

_'If not for me then at least for her...'_

In the end she fell asleep.

_**13th of January**_

Tohsaka Rin was not an early riser. Despite the appearances she always hated waking up in the morning, as a Mage's life wouldn't allow for much sleep at night.

After her usual morning routine she closed the door to the Tohsaka home and headed for the place where she agreed to meet her sister. Matou Sakura, unlike Tohsaka and _him_ remained in Fuyuki City and lived a quiet life, often taking care of his house.

_'You could at least come by and thank her once in a while.'_

Despite Tohsaka's bitterness towards his situation, she didn't hate him. Quite the opposite. The man who left Fuyuki to pursue his dreams was unlike any other she had ever met. She had known him for longer than he knew her, and he had always grabbed her attention. However, ever since a certain ritual, he chose to follow an impossible ideal, and nothing she could say would stop him. After all, how could a mere Mage compare to _her_.

It was 11 AM when Tohsaka arrived at the house Sakura was taking care of. After ringing the bell for a few seconds, a few steps were heard from the inside. Suddenly the door opened. Staying in front of her was one of her high school teachers whom she hadn't seen for as long as the boy.

"Oh my! If it isn't Tohsaka-chan! Come on in, we were waiting for you!"

Fujimura Taiga was always a lively woman. One of her classmates in high school used to describe her as "a hamster on coffee" although most preferred to call her "tiger".

"Hello, Fujimura-Sensei. Sorry for being late."

"Don't worry. Sakura was worried she won't be ready before you came, so you did her a favor!" She said. "Oh, Sakura! Rin has arrived!"

"I'm coming!" A voice called from the living room. A second afterwards a purple haired beauty came out and greeted her as well.

"It's been a while, Nee-san!"

"Sorry for the delay, Sakura. Work in London is tough."

The plan for today was nothing more than having lunch together. It had become a tradition for them, after everything that happened.

Tohsaka took her usual spot at the table in the middle of the room, where Fujimura Taiga was changing channels randomly on TV. Sakura meanwhile was finishing her work in the kitchen.

"Have you heard, Tohsaka-san? Apparently the war in the middle east is now over."

"Eeh?" Rin wasn't especially interested, but it would be hard to find other topics for small-talk with Fujimura. She was however curious about the outcome.

_'After all, less conflict would mean his work would get a bit easier...'_

"Yes, it was on the news last night. The rebels were caught and the movement was crushed in a single day. They said they'll release more information today."

"That seems a bit too good to be true. Usually this kind of situations last at least a few years more."

"True. However they said the one at fault for the public attacks was captured."

"There's one person in particular to blame?"

"That's what they say. Apparently he was the one responsible for the bombing of that city last year. They finally released the official number of casualties last week as well, it was close to 30.000 people..."

Fujimura was visibly affected by the facts. She might not have had the same dream as the two who used to live here, but she was a human being, and such things would cause anyone suffering.

The conversation stopped after a while as they waited for Sakura to arrive with the dishes. Tohsaka thought she should go help her, but as soon as she raised herself up Sakura was bringing a plate to the table.

They spoke for a few moments, ate Sakura's cooking, reminisced about old memories and school events. It was however a hollow feeling, talking about the past without bringing up the one who wasn't here anymore.

"Umm... Nee-san, have you seen Senpai lately?" Sakura was the first one brave enough to bring up the topic.

"Nope. I haven't heard from him for years now."

Taiga was bothered by the conversation. "When he comes back, I'll make sure to re-educate him. Not calling or even letting us know if he's okay for so long... unbelievable. I didn't raise him this way!" She was both cheerful to talk about him but strict at the same time.

The day passed by quickly. Rin and Sakura went shopping for a few hours until returning to her house in the evening.

"Sorry for intruding." Sakura said as she stepped in.

"It's your house too, don't be so formal." Rin reminded her.

There wasn't much to talk about beside catching up. The time with her however was important to Rin, after being separated for so long she wanted to make up for the time she couldn't act as a proper older sister.

"Nee-san, can I turn on the TV?" Sakura asked at one point.

Despite owning a huge television, Rin didn't really bother watching anything. It was more for appearances than anything.

"Sure, go ahead. I'll go make some tea."

As she headed for the kitchen she heard the daily news talking about the civil war. It was a hot topic lately, so every news channel was talking about it for as long as possible squeezing every tiny detail they could for more information. It was no surprise that even Tohsaka Rin, who didn't concern herself with politics of the human world, heard about it.

"..._government has decided to agree to negotiate with the rebels in exchange for the culprit_..."

She returned with the tea cups on a platter as the reporters on-scene were describing the attacks from last year and the rebel movements. Apparently a rebel group, or rather "revolutionary" as they called themselves had attempted to overthrow the government. A huge explosion took place in a city which both the government and the rebels denied having any knowledge of.

"..._however the People's Freedom Army rebel group has managed to apprehend the culprit. It is unknown what proof they have of this person's guilt, as an official statement hasn't been released yet. The government has however accepted their demands..."_

"This world is awful, isn't it?" Tohsaka said to herself.

"I hope this is the end of it. People killing each others for political reasons is bad enough, but bringing innocent people into it is just... inhuman." Sakura was affected by the news. Seeing her sister saddened was never easy for Rin.

_'Is this what you want to destroy?' _She thought about the boy whose dream was to make everyone happy, wondering how he felt to hear about this conflict. She was certain that he was somewhere behind the curtains, helping refugees or saving wounded. It wouldn't surprise Rin if he was the one who caught the culprit somehow.

That thought brought a small smile to her face.

_'Take care of yourself, hero."_

"Sakura, why don't we watch a movie? I still have some of your favorites here since last time?

Sakura didn't take long to respong. "Y-yes. I think thi-"

Before she could finish her sentence her eyes widened in horror. Upon looking at the screen Rin felt a chill on her back.

The entire thing could be captured in a single moment.

"..._a Japanese man who joined the rebel movement as a mercenary..."_

The image of a white haired man.

"..._bombs throughout the city_..."

The name in the headline.

"..._executed_..."

The look in his eyes.

"..._hanging three days ago_..."

She didn't know how long she and Sakura sat there watching the screen in disbelief. Nor did she remember which one of them cried first, or how long it took for her to understand. It was a nightmare. The footage of the execution was censored, and she couldn't explain the white hair and darkened skin, but it was without a doubt him.

_'...why?'_

She could barely remember the last thing she heard before she broke the TV screen.

"..._Emiya Shirou has been publicly executed by hanging on the 10th of January..."_


	2. Chapter 2: Clock Tower and the Executor

_**A/N**_

_**Hello to all of you who read the first chapter so soon after it was posted. I'm surprised, as usually it takes my stories at least a few days to gain some readers. That said, I thank you. **_

_**Now, I want to clarify something, as a few have asked me in reviews and PMs. This story is not about Shirou from the Unlimited Blade Works route, or any route for that matter. I intend for this to be the timeline where Shirou made a deal with Alaya and became a Counter Guardian, aka Archer's original timeline (or at least close to it).**_

_**I hope you liked the first chapter, and here's the second one.**_

* * *

**January 20th.**

The realization of what would become of the boy who had a dream was a grim reminder of how cruel the world could be. Tohsaka Rin can barely remember that day a week ago when she found out that the boy she had a crush on in high school was no longer in this world.

Sakura was broken to the point where she could barely cry anymore. Emiya Shirou was one of the few people who gave her affection and one of the few people she loved. Losing him was almost like losing her purpose to live.

As soon as they heard the news, Rin called Professor Fujimura, as she was the first person she could think of. When she picked up however, she couldn't hear anything but the sound of someone crying.

A day later she received a call from Mitsuzuri Ayako. They haven't talked for quite some time, but they kept each other's number. Ayako was shocked by the news and called everyone close to Emiya Shirou, asking about what happened. There wasn't much Rin could tell them.

It has now been a week since the news of Emiya Shirou's passing. Tohsaka had enough time to grieve. The sorrow and pain she felt were slowly replaced by anger. She knew Emiya Shirou would never do anything to harm someone else, let alone endanger thousands of people. The whole thing was a mess. The news reports were calling him an 'extremist' or a 'terrorist' and so on.

_'It makes no sense...' _

Despite having her own life, she wouldn't leave this the way it was. She was determined to find out what happened to Emiya Shirou, and punish whoever had something to do with his death.

"This is Tohsaka Rin, I wish to speak with Lord El-Melloi II."

She took the first flight back to London, headed straight for the Clock Tower and for the office of the one professor who might tell her anything about Emiya Shirou.

Walking through the long corridor she saw a lot of students, professors and the like. The Clock Tower was simply a place for young mages to study the different types of magecraft, understand its rules and specialize in a certain department. It was, putting it simply, a place of study.

Eventually she stopped in front of Lord El-Melloi II's office, the current head of the Modern Magecraft Theories' department.

"Tohsaka Rin, isn't it?" A voice called out from behind her.

Rin turned around to find a tall man with long black hair, a black suit and a stern expression. The man before her was Waver Velvet, or as he was now know, Lord El-Melloi II.

"Lord El-Melloi, it's been a while." Rin said.

"The Second." Waver corrected her. "It's not usual for the Tohsaka to have business with me. Come on in. You can tell me what you want afterwards."

Despite his rough exterior, Rin could see a hint of inexperience in him when it comes to such interactions.

His office was as one would expect of a Clock Tower professor. Shelves on each side of the room filled with books about almost every topic related to magecraft, a sturdy desk at the end of the room and...

_'A coffee table... And two couches...'_

Tohsaka Rin, despite her time at the Clock Tower has never actually been in his office before. She was happy to see it was more tidy than whatever Kischur Zelretch's room was supposed to be. Compared to the Marshall, Lord El-Melloi even had a hood-wearing apprentice cleaning one of the book shelves.

"Make yourself comfortable." Waver waved to one of the couches.

Before Rin could even sit down, a blonde young woman poured her tea. Taking a glimpse at her face reminded Rin of a certain swordswoman, maybe a bit too much.

"You can go Gray. Thank you for the help." Waver said to the blonde lady.

"Excuse me, _shishou_" She said in return as she left the room.

Waver took a sip of his own cup and looked back at Rin. His everyday life had him socialize with younger students or other mages of the Clock Tower. Meeting a Tohsaka out of nowhere however, was something new. He was certain that her time with the Kaleidoscope was more than enough to make he wish to stay away from London for a long time.

"So." He started. "Tohsaka Rin, what brings you to me?"

"I think you know that already, Lord."

Waver paused for a moment.

"Emiya Shirou. Isn't it?"

"It is."

Waver sighed. Rin knew for a fact that at a certain point in the past, Emiya Shirou has been helping the mages of Clock Tower with various tasks he deemed worth risking his life for. Whether it be hunting a certain Dead Apostle or neutralizing dangerous mages, he was always glad to help if it meant keeping innocents out of harm's way. As such, she thought Waver Velvet would be the best lead for her at this moment, as other mages of Clock Tower would no doubt ask for something in return or simply refuse to help out of self interest.

"I haven't seen him in over a year. The media says he caused the deaths of thousands of humans and was executed for it. I assume you knew that already.

"I do."

"So what is it you need from me? As you are well aware, I can't bring dead people back to life."

"I know for a fact that he helped you a few years ago when you were dealing with a Dead Apostle here in London. I also know that the Church was somehow involved. I simply want to know more about what happened."

"Hmm..." Waver paused. "I'll be honest, there isn't much to know beyond what you just said. A Dead Apostle started killing people at night and attracting too much attention. The Burial Agency had some business in this city around the same time, so one of their agents took it upon herself to deal with that bloodthirsty creature."

"Quite convenient." Rin interrupted.

"Indeed. By yet another coincidence, Emiya Shirou was here as well, having just finished a task for Vice Director Lorelei, a task that she wouldn't tell me anything about."

"Sounds like he had quite a few connections."

"Despite that however I can't say I spoke to him more than three times. He was always ready to jump to the next job, always refusing to talk when Gray was around for some reason."

_'Makes sense...'_

"After that." Waver continued. "He and the Executor took care of the Dead Apostle and the Dead and Ghouls it created. Once all of that was done they simply left."

"Together?"

"All I know is that they left around the same time. The Executor would obviously not be very keen on talking to us of the Mages Association. However she left the city just as Emiya Shirou did."

Rin pondered for a few minutes. Everything she heard was just as she expected. Shirou was simply going from place to place looking for ways in which he could save people from harm, being basically a mercenary. Lord El-Melloi's story didn't bring anything new to the table for he. The Dead Apostle was irrelevant, as dead creatures couldn't talk. However...

_'An agent of the Burial Agency was here. An Executor of the Holy Church. Could it be...'_

"Lord El-Melloi, would you happen to know the Executor's name?"

"The Second." Waver said. "And yes, I know her name. What will you do if I tell you who she is?"

Rin took a second to reply. "I will look for her and I will find her. Emiya Shirou's situation could be a huge threat to the Mages Association if what I suspect is true, and I will not tolerate such risks. As she is one of the last people who might now more about him I intend to find out the full story."

"Hmm..." Waver pondered on her words. Tohsaka might act like she only has the Mages Association interests on her mind, but Waver could see there was more to her intentions than that.

"Very well." He decided to answer truthfully. "I don't know if you'll find her so easily, but her name should help at the very least."

Waver rose from the couch and went to his desk where he opened one of the lower drawers.

"Lucky for you, I also happen to have a picture of her." A picture which he put on the coffee table in front of Rin.

The girl in the picture wore a regular black nun outfit, but her more defining feature was her dark blue hair.

"Her name is Ciel." Waver added. "Or at least that's what we know her as."

* * *

**February 3rd.**

The new information Rin received from Lord El-Melloi led her on the Executor's trail. Using her connections in the Mages Association she eventually made her way to Paris, where she heard about the blue-haired Executor eliminating a "heretic".

Using a few more detective tricks (and contacts withing the Holy Church) she found out that the one called Ciel was living at the Grand Hotel, 23rd floor, room 6.

Usually when a mage seeks an Executor, one of them ends up dead. Tohsaka Rin however had no intent to die today. She needed closure. Something to help her and Sakura understand why that boy had to die.

Once the elevator stopped Tohsaka Rin stepped out into Floor 23's hallway. From where she stood she could easily see Room 6 on the left. Preparing a few gems and jewels just in case, she walked towards the door. Taking each step carefully, she placed her hand on the door's handle and...

_'Unlocked?'_

Rin immediately took out more gems.

The very next instant three blades flew through the wooden door and impaled themselves in the wall behind her, Rin narrowly avoiding their touch.

"Shit!"

Before another attack could come she ingested a gemstone and busted into the room, having her Gandr curse ready. Just as she pointed her arm at the silhouette and shot a Gandr, the shadow dodged. The very next moment she felt a slim blade at her throat.

The dark silhouette turned out to be just the very person she was looking for. Despite that, the one called Ciel was more surprised at her than the other way around. As soon as she realized who the mage was, her eyes widened and she removed her Black Key from Tohsaka's neck. Rin however still didn't risk any sudden movements.

"You're the one called Ciel, aren't you?" Tohsaka asked.

"And you're Tohsaka Rin." Ciel said in return.

The two young women simply stared at one another for a few moments before Ciel broke the silence.

"Shirou told me about you..."

"So you really knew him?" Tohsaka was taken aback by her words.

Ciel however didn't answer. Instead she turned around and sat down on the floor, her face on her knees.

Tohsaka didn't know what to do. She came to her for answers, but in less than a few seconds she would've been killed had Ciel not dropped her Black Keys. She also couldn't help but notice that the blue haired Executor wasn't much older than herself, and yet she reminded her of a certain priest.

"What happened?" Ciel asked and raised her face.

"What do you mean?"

"..." Ciel once again didn't answer.

"You mean Shirou?" Rin tried to rationalize Ciel's word.

"When was the last time you saw Emiya-kun?" Ciel asked confused.

"It's... been a few years."

Ciel simply stared at Tohsaka's face for a few moments. Then, for the first time, Rin saw her lose the tough exterior she's been putting on since she first met her minutes ago.

The Executor was someone capable of killing Dead Apostles and mages, she defeated Tohsaka Rin in a fight in less than a minute. Rin was fully aware that the one in front of her was a very highly skilled individual. And yet, the blue haired girl who was standing in front of her right now was on the brink of breaking into tears, her eyes glistening in the dim light of the room.

"That idiot..." Those were the only words that came out of Ciel's mouth before she started crying.

Whoever Rin expected the Executor to be, she did not expect to see her cry once they met..

_'Shirou...' _Tohsaka couldn't help but wonder. _'Who was she to you?'_


	3. Chapter 3: The Flame

_**A/N **_

_**Hey guys. Sorry for making you wait for this chapter, I was really busy this week. That said, I loved your reviews! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Flame**

**February 4th**

Emiya Shirou was once a young man who had a dream, Tohsaka Rin knew that very well. The boy would give everything he had if it meant someone wouldn't have to get hurt. It would be wrong to say he didn't value his own life. He simply valued others' lives more than his own. Students at the Homurahara High School always said that Emiya Shirou was "weird" because he never refused to help someone. Some of them even called him the "janitor", since he was always helping someone or fixing something.

Tohsaka Rin always wondered what would happen to him in the future. She knew what he wanted to do, and how he wanted to do it.

"I want to be a Hero of Justice". He once told her.

When she first heard him she though of him studying the law and becoming a lawyer, because how else would one become a 'Hero of Justice'? But the more time she spent with him, the more she realized that he could never live a quiet life as long as he held on to that ideal of his.

_'And look where that got him...'_

It's been a day since Tohsaka Rin's encounter with the Church Executor known as Ciel. The two didn't share much, but Ciel agreed to talk to her the following day. Tohsaka was fully aware that she needed some time before she could tell her what she knew. However, she didn't trust the Executor yet, so she made sure to leave a few familiars at the hotel, just in case.

It was now the next day and nothing suspicious happened. Tohsaka waited in her own room where the two agreed to meet, although Ciel was late.

As soon as Rin wondered if she was tricked someone knocked on her door.

"It's open." She said. The door opened and the blue haired young woman who nearly took her life the previous day entered the room.

Rin was sitting down at a table and Ciel took a seat in front of her.

"So..." Rin wanted to break the awkward silence. "What can you tell me about Emiya Shirou?"

Ciel wouldn't look Rin in the eyes, instead she simply analyzed her coffee cup and stared at it for a few minutes before taking a sip. Still looking at the cup she replied.

"Why are you here?"

"What do you mean?" Rin was confused.

"Shirou is dead..." Ciel's voice broke saying the last word. "He's gone. There's no point in looking for him."

There was a short silence before Rin could answer. "I want to know what happened to him."

"You already know. He was hanged." Ciel was still looking at the coffee cup, her eyes barely showing any sign of life.

"Then I want to know why." Rin kept pushing.

Once again, Ciel was silent for a few moments.

"Tell me..." she finally began. "You said you haven't seen him for years. Why do you care now?"

Rin didn't know what to say. It was true that she hasn't seen Shirou in years. They were almost strangers at this point. Still, Tohsaka Rin couldn't let the memory of the boy who wanted to help people fade away without closure. She wanted to know how the truth.

"I never stopped caring about Shirou." She told Ciel. "It's true that we went on different paths, but that doesn't mean I can just forget he ever existed. I want to know the truth. People are calling him a terrorist, you expect me to just accept that?"

"In other words..." Rin could see light in Ciel's eyes. "Do you want to avenge him?"

Ciel's words took Rin by surprise. The Executor was finally looking at her, and Rin could see the flame in her eyes. She knew that look very well. It was the same look she had when a certain priest admitted to being the one who murdered her father.

"You're not here on Church business..." said Rin when she realized.

"No." Ciel's tone was now more serious than before. If Rin could feel apathy before, now it was only wrath. "Dead Apostles can wait. I'm hunting worse scum this time.

Ciel stood up from her seat.

"Shirou wasn't the one behind the incident. He was betrayed by someone."

Rin wasn't surprised. She was fully aware that Shirou would never kill those people, it was impossible for him to do so. To have her suspicions confirmed however, it made her clench her fist in anger.

"So you're trying to avenge Shirou." said Rin. "Very well. Count me in."

"Are you sure you trust me? We've never met before." Ciel wanted to confirm Tohsaka's intentions.

"No. I'm a mage and you are an Executor, it would go against my nature to trust you. However..." Rin stood up, she could feel the flame inside her. "I will put that aside if it means finding the bastard responsible for Shirou's death."

* * *

_**A/N **_

_**Sorry that this chapter is so short. I just wanted to get Rin and Ciel's meeting out of the way quickly. Worry not however, as the next chapter is one that I was really looking forward to. **_

_**Hint: It's going to be a flashback from someone else's point of view.**_


	4. Chapter 4: A Holy Shroud

_**A/N**_

_**Alright lads, I felt productive today so I decided to force myself to get this chapter out. It's one I was really looking forward to writing. I hope you like it.**_

* * *

**Chapter 4: A Holy Shroud**

The life of a Church Executor was dark. Fighting for one's faith would lead many to happiness, but not everyone. The blue haired girl encountered many oddities in her life, from Dead Apostles, mages who had gone insane and even other unworldly creatures. She always believed in herself and always managed to live through every challenge.

_'I don't need anything more.'_

Assignment after assignment, she would face another Dead Apostle, another mage, another creature of the night. Time after time she would come out on top. Her life needed no meaning.

_'This is all I have.'_

She fought and fought. Using her blades to the best of her ability. No matter how many of them came at her, she always knew she would emerge victorious. And yet one day she heard a voice.

"Sorry for barging in. I'll give you a hand."

It happened so fast. Before she knew it, her foe was already defeated. For the first time in her life victory was stolen from her. She looked at the one who took it from her and was confused.

_'I don't need you.'_

He was tall. One look at him was enough for her to determine that he was a mage. As she was always taught, she pulled out her blades and prepared for the worst.

_'I can take you.'_

He didn't make a move. He simply looked at her wide-eyed. And said...

"Ah, sorry. Did you have it under control?"

Once again, she didn't know what she was feeling. Did she hate the man for intruding on her way of life? Did she want to kill him for it? Was she embarrassed to let her guard down for one second and allow her enemy to be defeated by someone else? The blades she was holding in her hands were her weapons, and yet for the first time in her life she wasn't able to use them in time.

The man who stood before her was something she's never seen before. A mage wouldn't help, nor would he attempt to steal a fight from an Executor. He was a mage, and yet he was not.

"Well, if you're alright here then I'll go. Be careful." He said as he headed for whence he came from.

"Wait right there!" She called out to him. "Who do you think you are!?"

The man was taken aback. His guard was down, she knew she could take him easily, and yet he only stood there, looking wide eyed at her.

"I'm Emiya Shirou. I'm a mercenary of sorts." He said.

He ran a hand through his hair and looked at her again.

"Although I like to call myself a Hero of Justice."

Those were his words. He stood calmly in the moonlight as he said them. All the blue haired girl could do was look at him, dumbfounded by him as he left.

* * *

A few months had passed and the girl was back on her usual routine. The Church would tell her where to go, what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Afterwards she would follow their instructions, accomplish her mission and return to receive another assignment. A cycle that went on and on and on.

By this point she has been all over the world hunting her prey. Her next assignment was London, a place that stirred some memories.

Reports said a Dead Apostle had created an unknown number of Dead and started causing chaos during the night. The Clock Tower was sure to be on its trail as well, as they couldn't leave such a threat exist in their backyard.

It was a simple mission, as the Dead were easy to find.

_'Sixteen'_

One after another she would find in dark alleyways.

_'Twenty four'_

One after another would fall to her Black Keys.

_'Thirty three'_

It was then when she realized there were no more.

Standing in a dark alleyway, her instinct told her to dodge. As soon as she did so a curse barely missed her head. Before another could come her blades were ready.

The figure in front of her, dressed all in white was a Dead Apostle. It didn't look threatening, in fact its frustration was showing on its face. All its hard work was undone in less than a few hours by a single Executor.

"I'll make good use of your corpse, you damn woman!"

She wasn't worried about his threats, as he was obviously not a strong Dead Apostle. He looked like a very young one.

She prepared her plan of attack, took into consideration its body size and visualized herself taking off his right hand before it could attack again. Her next attack would take its head, parrying his left arm with her right if needed while taking his head with the other. She clutched her Black Keys, took a short breath and -

"Wha-"

Five black arrows pierced the Dead Apostle's head. She instantly looked to the direction they were fired from. On the roof of a nearby building she saw a man dressed in black with a bow in his hands. Before she could prepare for an attack he dropped in front of her.

Her eyes widened when she realized that she had met this man before.

"Oh, it's you!" He said when he saw her, a hint of a smile on his lips.

_'The man who called himself a Hero of Justice...'_

A few more months had passed.

She had gotten used to his company. After the job in London he decided to tag along with her, despite her protests.

"It'll be easier to find work by following you than waiting for a call." Was his reasoning.

After a short while she got used to him.

"What's your name by the way?" She asked him suddenly.

"Emiya Shirou. I'm pretty sure I told you that the first time we met. What's yours?"

"Ciel."

"And?"

"Just Ciel is enough for me."

"Ciel, huh... it suits you."

Since that day she started to enjoy his company. They slowly built trust in each other, eventually fighting back to back against a pair of rogue mages in a forest.

The more time she spent with him, the closer they got.

One day she discovered that he was a great cook, especially when it came to eastern food. Needless to say, she loved his curry.

Day after day they would find a new job, with Shirou sometimes disappearing to do something on his own. When he returned he would tell her stories about how he solved a hostage situation, saved people from a building on fire, helped people after their area was hit by an earthquake and so on.

She couldn't help but notice how 'superhero-ish' he was, at some point even telling him he should get a cape.

It wasn't long before they started sharing an apartment. Ciel had a few long assignments in France, so she decided to actually find a place to settle down for a while. After all, it would be a nice place to return to instead of staying at random hotels every time, and waking up and eating his cooking always felt nice.

Before she knew it, a long time had passed.

* * *

"Hmm..."

It was morning.

Despite being an Executor, it's been a few weeks since her last assignments and there was no sign of new ones. Therefore Ciel started taking it easy.

The clock alarm was the one thing she hated more than anything at this point in her life. Lying in bed in the morning was one thing she loved, and as such the clock was her worst enemy.

She stretched her arm and stopped the alarm. After which she went back into the warm covers. It was winter, so she didn't like leaving the bed in the morning, but she always forgot to set up the alarm, so she left it on for every day instead.

Naturally, she couldn't go back to sleep. Instead Ciel gazed lovingly at the man sleeping next to her.

It came naturally over time. The more time they spent together the closer they got, until one day Shirou asked her out for dinner. Ciel was surprised, as she had never actually went on what he called a "date" before. Despite how awkward it felt she agreed, and had a surprisingly good time with him. One day they even got into a contest about their combat abilities, wondering whether Shirou's arrows or Ciel's Black Keys were faster.

Shirou could be solemn and sometimes goofy, but he was always someone she could rely on. Ciel didn't know if what they had was 'love' but she liked to believe so. There was no other way she could describe how she felt when he held her in his arms.

"Morning."

As she was lost in her thoughts she didn't realize that he opened his eyes. Shirou was looking at her with a sly smile on his face.

"M-morning. Did you sleep well?" She tried to recover.

"I don't think we slept too much last night." His smile widened.

"H-hey! It's not my fault you wanted to do it so many times!" She pouted.

"Well..." Shirou started. "We have nothing to do today, do we?"

She knew what the look on his face meant. He might appear serious in public, but his carefree side is the one she loved most. The entire time they've been together she still hasn't learned how to say no to that face. As usual for them, they spent the morning in bed.

Weeks passed and Ciel finally received a mission from the Church. However, at the same time Shirou told her that he wanted to go help with the civil unrest situation in the middle east. It wasn't rare for them to separate for a while when they needed.

The day came when Shirou had to leave.

"Wait a minute." She told him as she went back to their room. Before he could ask what it was, she handed him a box. He opened it and found a long red cloth inside.

"It's a Holy Shroud. It should come in handy." She said.

Shirou looked at it and put it in his briefcase. He wasn't very knowledgeable of such objects, but even he knew that a Holy Shroud wasn't something one gave away easily.

Usually when he left, he would give Ciel a hug and say goodbye. This time however he hugged her tight and kissed her, almost making her glasses fall off.

She knew she had nothing to worry about. After all he always came back. Once their lips parted he grabbed his briefcase, put on his scarf and headed for the door.

"I love you, Ciel."

Those were his words as he left.

Months had passed with no word from Emiya Shirou.

Ciel didn't worry, as she knew he was doing everything he could right now. It would be out of character for him to leave before his work was over. He would soon be back in his chair at the table, laughing with her at one of their stories.

More time had passed and she still had no news from him.

Ciel didn't worry, as she knew he was probably too focused on his adventure and maybe forgot to let her know how he was. His chair was still empty, and she waited for the day she could hear him laugh again.

Even more time had passed and he was still unheard from.

Ciel didn't worry, as she knew the Holy Shroud she gifted him would keep him safe. He would be back in his chair soon, telling her an exciting story about the way he saved thousands of people.

One day she heard his name on the news.

Ciel realized that there was an empty chair at the table. A chair where Emiya Shirou would laugh no more.


	5. Chapter 5: A Hero's Heart

_**A/N**_

_**Been a while since my last update. I apologize for that. Life is busy and complicated. I found the time to continue writing, and I intend to keep at it with this. Hopefully I can tie a nice bow on this story soon. Thank you all for waiting.**_

* * *

**Chapter 5: A Hero's Heart**

**13th of March**

_'Y-you bastard...' _

The blue haired girl couldn't stand anymore. Falling to her knees, at a loss of words, her mind stops. The chain of events that brought about this situation prepared her for it. She didn't lie to herself believing that vengeance would ease her pain. She was given something precious, and the world stole it from her. What she wanted in return was a mystery. Finding and killing every last one of those responsible? Hearing them beg for forgiveness? She did not know.

_'Why? Why...' _

More than anything, she wanted that time they spent together back. She wanted to return in that apartment, to live a peaceful life, knowing he'd always be there, at the dining table and smiling like he always did.

_'Why did you do this to me...?' _

She would never have the life she used to before being forced into the role of an Executor. Never again. The self proclaimed Hero of Justice was the one who brought some normalcy back into her life... However, the girl who called herself Ciel did not know what Emiya Shirou felt deep inside his heart.

The man standing in front of her and Tohsaka Rin was called Laraib. Finding him was an easy task with their connections. Getting him to talk was even easier. Hearing the truth he spoke, however... was not easy. Standing before the unmarked grave of a hero... was agonizing.

* * *

**5th of January**

"Are you insane?" A freedom fighter called to the tall white haired man. "What good will this do? There's no point in doing this. We'll all be killed later on. You're not seeing the long term consequences of your decision"

His English was still rough, but it was the only way he and the Asian man could understand each other.

"It's the only way to save everyone." The white haired man replied.

The two of them spent the last year fighting alongside one another. Fighting against the tyranny of a dictator in a small country. After all that time, the man who called himself Laraib thought he understood the young man who joined their cause. Despite that, when the end was near and their hopes crushed, Emiya Shirou spoke up, and he realized that the man before him was a true saint.

"Leave this to me." Were his words. The plan that he described next brought the rebel troops hope. It was a gamble they were willing to take. The war might be lost, but Emiya Shirou could at least save the ones he fought alongside. They were good people, and despite failing them, he hoped someone else would come later on and set them free.

* * *

**13th of March**

"Speak, now." Tohsaka Rin ordered the man.

Through a number of connections, she and Ciel were able to find out what remained of the rebel group that Emiya Shirou was a part of. After the execution, the rebellion was abolished and most of the freedom fighters placed into military prison. One high ranking officer who was among the first to join the rebellion however was mysteriously let go.

Rin saw fit to question the easiest person they could find first, and Laraib Bari did not try to hide. The man lived alone in a small village. All Rin and Ciel had to do was knock on his door. Once inside the only thing left to do was force the truth out of him.

His house was small, perhaps only four rooms. The front door opened into the living room where only a small sofa, a TV and a coffee table were seen. As soon as he opened the door Ciel pushed him inside against a wall, while Rin made sure no one was around to see the scene taking place.

"Who are you?" He asked them, with three blades aimed at his throat. He was a middle aged man with a military background, black hair and a thick mustache, and despite being threatened he managed to stay calm.

"Emiya Shirou. Why was he executed?" Ciel asked with a disturbing look in her eyes. She did not expect an honest answer.

The man took a moment before he opened his mouth, which Rin took as a sign to look out for. He was probably thinking up a false answer, or being careful about what he was about to say, so as to not let the name of the one who betrayed Shirou slip out.

"He had people put big bombs in many towns and villages." He began. Tohsaka and Ciel both looked in disgust at the man, neither of them believing a word he said. "He planned to use them against the patriots, as an ultimatum. 'Give us what we want or thousands die' is what he said".

The two women let him go on, as shutting him up now was pointless.

"Then many of our soldiers turned their guns on him. We wanted to fight the president, not our fellow people" The man continued. "So we hand him over to them and that was it. Emiya Shirou was executed not long after. Now will you let me go?"

"Fun story. Now tell me the truth, or else I'll cut you to pieces slowly and find someone else who can." Ciel threatened Laraib again.

"What I told you is truth! Who are you two anyway?! I told the Colonel I don't want nothing to do with the conflict anymore!"

"I don't give a damn about you, just tell me what happened to him and who set him up!" Ciel shouted.

He looked calm still. None of Ciel's threats seemed to get a reaction out of him. Tohsaka understood that this would be a waste of time. The man was a veteran and was probably in similar situations before. A physical threat wouldn't work on him. Before she could suggest the use of magic, the man spoke again.

"Is one of you called Shieer?" He asked.

Rin was confused. "Do you mean 'Ciel'?" She asked in return.

"Yes."

"That's my name." Ciel replied. "What of it? Speak!"

As the tip of her blades was biting into his neck, he replied, this time with a more casual tone than before.

"He told me to tell you the truth."

* * *

**6th of January**

"There's no other way out of this." Emiya Shirou told him. "The only thing we can do is get everyone out of it alive."

"We will be thrown in prison." Laraib told him.

"Better that than death. Don't worry, I'll make sure this works out. They don't want this to reach the ears of international leaders, so I'll make sure they can't harm you in any way. They don't have anything to win by executing you all."

"But we'd still lose the war!" Laraib said.

"But it would save the lives of all those men, women and children. Don't you remember last month? When we took a rest in Saldum? You didn't bother talking to the men and the kids who came to see us there, but I did. A boy named Moshin told me he wants to be a doctor and help his father walk again. A boy named Saad asked us to find his parents. A girl named Amira and her mother offered us food. A man named Ahmed let us sleep in his house while it was raining. They all had hopes for the future, and I would do anything to make sure they have one..."

"I can't be in twenty places at once... I can't get us out of this mess..."

He was calm. Too calm for a man who decided to die for the sake of others. Laraib couldn't understand what was going on inside Emiya's mind. The man would sacrifice himself not to bring them victory, but to make sure no one else has to die because of this conflict. The alternative would be certain defeat regardless. As such, the best he could do would be to bring a neutral end to the bloodshed. Laraib didn't know what to say after hearing his words.

"By the way..." Emiya Shirou started talking. "There's this woman, her name is Ciel."

Laraib was surpised to hear him talk about a woman. He noticed that he was touching his red scarf gently as he did.

"If you ever meet her, please tell her the truth. She's most likely gonna be mad at me for it..."

Deep in thought, Laraib noticed a faint smile on Emiya's face. The man he knew over the past year rarely smiled. He would only do so when spending time with kids from the villages they were passing through, sometimes even telling them funny stories and laughing along with them. Yet he never spoke of his past with a smile on his face before.

"Tell her I'm sorry."

That was the last thing the man called Emiya Shirou told Laraib before leaving the world of the living. Laraib was not a very religious man, but if there was a god watching over them, he wanted to thank him for bringing Emiya Shirou to them, and ask him to let his soul rest.


	6. Chapter 6: Resting Place

**Chapter 6: Resting Place**

**13th of March**

It was late afternoon by the time Laraib finished his story.

Tohsaka Rin and Ciel listened closely and were certain that the man was not lying. Both were hoping to have an individual to place their hatred upon, yet the world was more complicated than that. Emiya Shirou was not betrayed by one person, but by the very nature of his ideals.

As Laraib would say it, the day he joined their cause was the beginning of the end. He was the best soldier they could hope for, always looking for a way to capture enemies rather than killing them, always looking for the path with the least bloodshed. Slowly over time, some of the patriot soldiers were joining the rebellion. Laraib had his suspicions, but chose not to listend to his instinct. That was the mistake that cost the rebellion the war.

During the last fight of the civil war, several buildings in a major city were attacked with explosives, causing the deaths of thousands of innocents. Following the attack, Laraib and the rest of the rebels were sent a message through a patriot soldier.

The ultimatun given to the rebels by the patriots was simple. Lay down their arms and surrender themselves to the enemy, or over fifty bombings will take place in other cities and villages throughout the country, and everything would be blamed on the rebel forces. Laraib refused, saying that there's no way the rebels could be made responsible, but then he realized his mistake.

The cruel truth was that over the last year the rebel forces grew in number, yet now Laraib understood why. The ones who caused the explosions were without a doubt his fellow rebels. Traitors planted by the government. Despite knowing this, he would have no way to prove that the men wearing rebel uniforms, rebel headbands and killed civilians 'in the name of the revolution' were actually traitors that would see the people enslaved once again under the oppressive rule of a dictator.

The only way out would be to surrender and accept an execution by firing squad, but the man who fought alongside them a year before had a different idea.

The self proclaimed 'Hero of Justice' called Emiya Shirou would take the blame in exchange for the lives of every member of the rebel army. The patriots had no reason to agree to this, before Emiya gave them one. Laraib did not know what he used against the government, but whatever threat or bluff he called, they agreed to follow his plan in the end.

Next thing he knew, Emiya Shirou was hanged publicly on January 10th andthe rebels threw down their weapons. Laraib thought all was lost and misery would once again become their daily life.

"At least that's what I thought." He told the two women who were still listening to this story while walking beside him. Before he began telling the truth, he asked them to follow him to a nearby hill that was overlooking the village. The only thing of note about the place they were heading to was a lonely tree.

"What do you mean by that?" Tohsaka Rin replied.

"Don't care much for our political issues, do you?" Laraib told them in return. "Following the week after his public execution, the president resigned and a more considerate man took his place. We're no longer taxed to death, food is somewhat cheaper and people no longer disappear overnight for saying bad things about the ones in charge. It is not much, but it is better than the hell we were living in before the war. I don't know if this was his doing as well or not, but I like to think it was one last miracle he could perform for us."

As Laraib finished his story, the three of them reached the top of the hill and were looking at the tree that marked it. Next to it was a grave marked not by any stone, but by a number of small flowers.

"This is where he rests." Laraib told them.

Tohsaka Rin and Ciel were quiet. Both of them saw this coming. After all, whatever happened to his body was never publicly known, and the tomb next to Emiya Kiritsugu in Fuyuki City was empty.

_'Y-you bastard...' _

The blue haired girl couldn't stand anymore. Falling to her knees, at a loss of words, her mind stopped. The chain of events that brought about this situation prepared her for it. She didn't lie to herself believing that vengeance would ease her pain. She was given something precious, and the world stole it from her. What she wanted in return she did not know. Finding and killing every last one of those responsible? Hearing them beg for forgiveness? She couldn't say.

_'Why? Why...' _

More than anything, she wanted that time they spent together back. She wanted to return in that apartment, to live a peaceful life, knowing he'd always be there, at the dining table and smiling like he always did.

_'Why did you do this to me...?' _

She would never have the life she used to before being forced into the role of an Executor. Never again. The self proclaimed Hero of Justice was the one who brought some normalcy back into her life... However, the girl who called herself Ciel did not know what Emiya Shirou felt deep inside his heart.

She did not know that more than anything in this world, he wanted to be a hero.

**14th of March**

The two young women had seen what they wanted to see. There was nothing more they could do for the one who called himself a hero of justice. When they decided to find the truth about his death both were hoping for a lowly scum who sold him out in exchange for money or power, but in return they found out that he was betrayed by countless people and chose to give his life in return for those of thousands of others'.

The train ride to the airport was agonizing. Tohsaka Rin and the Executor called Ciel were sitting across from one another and staring out the window at what this cruel world looked like.

"I can't accept this." Ciel said quietly. Rin was unsure if she was talking to herself. "Why did it have to be him? He only joined them a year before. Why didn't the ones who started the war give themselves up? Why didn't he just break into whatever safehouse the president was in and took him hostage? Why didn't he take the story to the public before they could activate the bombs? Why didn't he just stop meddling in other people's affairs and came home?"

Tohsaka Rin did not have an answer to her questions. She didn't pretent to know what Emiya Shirou wished for deep inside his heart. He had always been weird to her. By the time she was starting to understand him, he left Clock Tower behind to follow his dream. Despite being friends, he did not look back once he left. Whatever his dream was, she hoped it would bring him happiness. Fate, however, had a twisted sense of humor.

As they were both contemplating what to do next after this uneventful journey, the train stopped.


	7. Chapter 7: Mage

**Chapter 7: Mage**

**14th of March (Rin Side)**

The train had stopped. The two young women didn't think much of it at first. Throughout their journey they had their fair share of experiences with public transport. A train stopping for a moment in the middle of the night was nothing out of the ordinary. However, this time the train didn't start again after a few minutes as it usually did.

"Hey..." Tohsaka Rin said as she stood up from her place, looking around at the passengers. The train car they were in was not too crowded, and the lights made it almost impossible to see anything outside. If anything, the windows were more like mirrors.

"I'll go take a look around. You stay here."

Ciel didn't move out of her seat. In fact, Rin wasn't even sure if she heard her. She was still staring into nothingness, seemingly half asleep.

Thinking it'd be better to give her some space, she headed for the exit. The train they were on only had three cars, since there weren't many passengers on night rides, and their seats were in the last one. If anything was wrong, she had to check the two in front.

As she opened the door and looked into the second car the only thing of note were a few men standing up and looking out the windows with tired eyes, while most of the other passengers were sitting calmly in their seats. Not seeing anything important, she headed for the third car, passing some bags that were placed carelessly on the floor next to their owner. He whistled as she passed by.

"Careful, lady." He said to her in a monotone voice.

Rin ignored him and kept moving forward.

Once again, the last car was almost empty but for a few men and women and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Still, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

Letting out a small sigh, Rin decided that it was probably nothing and the locomotive was having some problems, so she turned around and started walking back towards the car where she and Ciel were supposed to wait for the next eight hours.

Suddenly a thought came to mind.

_'What will I do when I get back?'_

This journey of hers was meant to be a way for her to deal with the pain Emiya's death caused her and the people who used to know him. Her sister especially hadn't smiled ever since the news were made public. Despite the absurdity of the boy they knew being executed as a terrorist, his death still caused everyone pain.

She kept pondering over what to do next as she passed through the middle car, for some reason calmer than the first time. As she reached for the handle open the door, her eyes widened.

_Cold._

A chill ran down her spine.

_Shivering._

The feeling of someone caressing her overcame her body.

_Cold._

Despite her instincts screaming in agony that she should turn around, she couldn't. The reflection on the door's window was more than enough for her to be paralyzed with fear.

Standing right behind her was a tall man with a long black coat and grey hair. She couldn't see his eyes, it was as if a shadow was covering the upper half of his face. Behind him, the passengers were all standing up staring at her with cold eyes.

_Cold_

She could see the man moving his hand through her long hair, holding it close to his face as if smelling it, all while the feeling as if a thousand disembodied fingers were slowly caressing her body.

Rin couldn't understand what was happening. The way the man was moving was like someone was showing her pictures of the scene, as if he was skipping the process of moving, she was only seeing still images. One moment he was standing still, the next her hair was in his hand, then he was still once more.

The man let out a deep breath. The next image he saw was of his hands around her neck, the man's face still expressionless.

Rin could feel the sweat slowly moving down her back. Still struggling to move.

The next image was of his right hand holding her chin to the side, tilting her head, whole the other was on her left shoulder.

The next image, her scarf was gone and her neck was bare as the man's face was directed at it.

The next image, his mouth was open, and Rin's eyes widened as she expected his teeth to sink into her neck.

In one moment, she tried her hardest to move. Legs. Hands. Head. Waist. Hips. Fingers. Neck. Toes. Chest. Elbows. Lips. Her body was paralyzed entirely. No matter what she tried, she was stuck in her own body, unable to do anything but wait for the next image. Struggling and struggling, begging her body to move to the point where her body was covered in cold sweat, she tried again and again and again...

Until the door opened and a familiar face showed up in front of her.


End file.
